YEP-DC 2013 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

In addition to two general happy hours, YEP-DC held the following events in 2013:

Ed Tech: Hype or Hope? An Exploration of Emerging Technologies in the Education Sector (January 2013)YEP-DC hosted a distinguished panel of experts and school-based tech users who they discussed the opportunities and challenges associated with new technologies in K-12 public education. After the panel, representatives from ed tech companies hosted demonstrations of their products.

MLK Day of Service (January 2013)YEP-DC teamed up with City Year to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On this special day of civic engagement, neighborhood collaboration, and volunteerism, YEP-DC helped to transform a high-needs school into a more engaging, educational, and vibrant place for students to learn and play. Projects included painting murals, building benches, and planting green spaces, among others.

YEP Connect: Edu-Jobs (February 2013)YEP Connect: Edu-Jobs provided YEP-DC members the opportunity to engage with leaders representing a wide range of education sectors – including Capitol Hill, the Department of Education, locally- and nationally-focused non-profits and foundations – and discuss strategies for finding, getting, and advancing in a career in education. The evening consisted of small group discussions where facilitators discussed career goals and next steps with members.

YEP-DC Policy-to-Practice Conference (March 2013)The YEP-DC Policy to Practice Conference is and annual conference designed to establish a space where education professionals can meaningfully engage and interact with others around the District on matters of educational research, policy, and practice. Interactive sessions give attendees the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and engage in collaborative, cross-sector problem solving to break down the divide between education policy and practice. In between conference sessions and during lunch, participants can attend our Opportunity Fair, where there is a variety of career and volunteer opportunities to explore.

YEP-DC Book Launch Celebration with Young Playwrights' Theater (March 2013)This free Author Event hosted by Teaching for Change launched YPT’s first nationally-published book, providing a platform to discuss arts integration with experts and students who have benefitted from the YPT model. Members enjoyed a free professional performance of a student-written play, a panel discussion with YPT staff, teachers and students and a book sale and signing.

Re-Examining Affirmative Action: How the Fisher Case Could Impact Higher Education (April 2013)In light of Fisher vs. University of Texas, YEP-DC teamed up with the Harvard Black Alumni Society to invite a panel of legal experts, policy analysts, admissions officers and university officials to share their perspectives on the following questions: Are affirmative action policies currently serving their intended purpose? Why or why not? What are the alternatives? How will the justices’ ruling in the Fisher case impact students, administrators and institutions across the country? How will colleges and universities respond to the Court’s decision? What will this case mean for access to higher education for underrepresented and/or disadvantaged groups of students?

Servathon (April 2013)YEP-DC members volunteered for Servathon 2013 at the Walker Jones Education Campus. They created two new gardens. The first was planted with soy, sweet potatoes, and peanuts. The second garden with planted with corn, runner beans, and heirloom pumpkins. Volunteers also prepped ground for blueberries, transplanting two fig trees, and building a couple of rabbit hutches.

"Guac and Talk" Networking Night and Fundraiser (July 2013)YEP-DC hosted a fundraiser with Chipotle where a whopping 50% of proceeds from the evening went toward YEP-DC fundraising.

YEP Connect: Edu-Jobs (July 2013)YEP Connect: Edu-Jobs provided YEP-DC members the opportunity to engage with leaders representing a wide range of education sectors – including Capitol Hill, the Department of Education, locally- and nationally-focused non-profits and foundations – and discuss strategies for finding, getting, and advancing in a career in education. The evening consisted of small group discussions where facilitators discussed career goals and next steps with members.

YEP-DC Give Back to Youth Happy Hour (July 2013)YEP-DC hosted a happy hour with many local organizations that provide funding, direct education, and enrichment services to DC students in order to offer volunteer opportunities for YEP-DC members. At the happy hour, members met representatives from the organizations and learned about ways they could give back to youth in the greater Washington DC area.

Teaching the Teachers: A YEP-DC Panel Discussion on How to Reform Teacher Preparation (August 2013)YEP-DC hosted a stimulating discussion with a panel of policy experts on the timely and critical topic of teacher preparation.

Beautification Day (August 2013)YEP-DC members helped out a school for DC Public Schools' (DCPS) Beautification Day. Established in 2005, DC Public Schools Beautification Day is the annual, official citywide “spruce up” of DC Public Schools and grounds.

Amanda Ripley on "The Smartest Kids in the World" (September 2013)Journalist Amanda Ripley discussed the findings of her book "The Smartest Kids in the World". YEP-DC members engaged in a spirited discussion with her and others about how the U.S. can strengthen its education system.

YEP-DC Happy Hour with Generation Hope (October 2013)YEP-DC and Generation Hope hosted a joint happy hour for networking and supporting the two organizations. In addition to support YEP-DC, the money raised helped Generation Hope’s “Fill Our Backpack with Hope” campaign to fund 15 college-readiness workshops for 150 pregnant and parenting high school students in the DC area.

YEP-DC Holiday Happy Hour (December 2013)YEP-DC hosted a holiday happy hour for members to network, socialize, and contribute to a local charity, Toys for Tots. Members brought presents to to the happy hour to donate to Toys for Tots. The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.